Interim Report on

Thoothukudi Riots in
Tamil Nadu
22nd May 2018

1 Interim Report on Thoothukudi Riots in Tamil Nadu – Vedic Science Research Centre (www.vsrc.in)
 Interim Report on Thoothukkudi Riots
Incident:
A confederation of many village organizations, Church organisations and
Merchants Associations under the banner of ‘Ban Sterlite Movement’, planned
to conduct a rally towards the copper smelting unit Sterlite Copper on the 22 nd
May 2018. The protestors are demanding the closure of the unit for long and
the present agitation is to mark the 100th day of the new spell of agitation
started under the banner of Thoothukudi District Anti Sterlite Peoples’
Confederation

(ஸ்டெர்லைட்எதிர்ப்புதூத்துக்குடிமாவட்ெமக்கள்கூட்ெலமப்பு) seeking

permanent closure of this plant.

The District administration denied permission and invited the organizers for a
peace meeting on the 21st. The District collector requested the organizers to
drop the proposal of marching up to Sterlite as the plant is now shut down and
the protestors demanded that they should be allowed to march till the District
Collector’s office, which too the Collector denied. The collector suggested them
to hold a token agitation near old Bus stand and the Merchant Association
along with Ms. Fathima Babu, a College lecturer, who is coordinating this
movement agreed.

As a precautionary measure, the Police clamped 144 Cr. PC to prevent

untoward incidents in two police station limits of Thoothukudi South and
Thoothukkudi SIPCOT from 10 PM on May 21st to 8 AM on May 23rd (Annexure
I). It is reliably learnt that the Anti Sterlite movement on the 21 st Night
removed Ms. Fathima Babu and the representatives of the Merchant’s
Association from the Ban Sterlite Movement and announced that they will
proceed with their programme to besiege the District Collector’s office.

The District Police and the administration never anticipated the horrific things
to come and posted around 1000 men at the Old Bus stand area, the permitted
venue of protest and another 1000 to cordon off the limit where Cr.PC 144 was
2 Interim Report on Thoothukudi Riots in Tamil Nadu – Vedic Science Research Centre (www.vsrc.in)
promulgated. The permitted, well attended protest went off peacefully at the
Old Bus stand area, meanwhile 300 women gathered near the Church Complex
in the New Street area where Cr. PC is not in force. The protestors started
marching from there towards the Beach road, and people in large numbers
joined them en route. The attempts made by the Police to block them failed as
the crowd heavily outnumbered the Police. The Police then allowed them to
march till the church christened, Shrine Basilica of our Lady of Snow but the
protestors continued their march crossing the Church towards the collectorate.
The police stopped the procession near VVD Signal and the protestors pushed
aside the Police and continued the procession and yet again at this point too,
the police are heavily outnumbered.

To disperse the mob, Police resorted to mild Lathi charge at around 10.50 AM
and the crowd responded with severe stone pelting and murderous attack
using poles and pipes. Unable to bear the attack, the helpless, heavily
outnumbered Police force started fleeing the scene but where chased by the
protestors. Public and Private properties including ATMs in the vicinity were
ransacked by the protestors and the march headed towards Thoothukudy by-
pass. The Police men regrouped and rushed towards the by-pass to halt the
progress of the arsonist but failed. Meanwhile, the arsonists entered the
residential complex of Sterlite employees and set the vehicles parked inside on
fire. A police vehicle on the by-pass was stoned and set on fire by the
arsonists. The arsonists then turned their ire on the media vans and private
vehicles parked beneath the bridge and set them on fire too. Unable to control
the mob at around 11.50 AM, the outnumbered Police force retreated and the
arsonists started attacking the fleeing Police men. The hapless police men have
no choice but to open fire which ultimately led to the dispersion of the rioting
mob.

Meanwhile, a section of rioters entered the collector’s office complex and

started torching the vehicles and damaged the glass panes of the office at
around 11.55 AM. The police then rushed to the spot and resorted to Lathi

3 Interim Report on Thoothukudi Riots in Tamil Nadu – Vedic Science Research Centre (www.vsrc.in)
charge to disperse the arsonists. The arsonists again regrouped around 12.30
and started attacking the police men. The Police tried all means to control the
arsonists and finally were forced to open fire to disperse the rampaging crowd.
Even after this firing, a section of the crowd hold fort inside the Collector’s
Office complex and the police resorted to Lathi charge to bring the District
administrative headquarters under control. The District Administrative
headquarters of Thoothukudi District was taken over by the police from the
hands of the arsonists at around 1.30 PM.

At around 4 PM, a group of arsonists were damaging the surveillance cameras

installed in the Threspuram area. A police party on patrol headed by
Thirunelveli Police Superintend Dr. Arun Sakthikumar intervened to prevent
this hooliganism was attacked and the Police opened fire on the unruly mob in
which one woman was killed.

Mr. Sandeep Nanduri, the new District collector, who took charge on 24th,
confirms that 13 people died in Police firing and 19 are in critical condition and
14 persons with gunshot injuries. Apart from 13 deaths, 102 persons sustained
injuries in this riot (Annexure II).

Background, Funding and Movers of the Protest

The agitation to ban Sterlite is going on for more than 22 years. The
successive Governments in Tamil Nadu gave clearances to this copper smelting
unit which was mired with controversies in many states started its operation in
1996 at Thoothukudy. This controversial plant was a money spinner for many
Politicians, Government Officials, Civil Society groups and Church priests for
long. The current bout of strike is to oppose the expansion of this plant. The
protests against this plant were peaceful throughout and whatever legal or
departmental action against the wrong doings of this plant is the result of this
peaceful protest.

4 Interim Report on Thoothukudi Riots in Tamil Nadu – Vedic Science Research Centre (www.vsrc.in)
After the demise of Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu Ms. J. Jayalalitha on 5th
December 2016, the state administration has come to a standstill. Sensing this
opportunity, anti-National and anti-social elements backed by foreign forces
and political parties with vested interest started instigating the people to resort
to violence and raise secessionist demands. The grand display of this nefarious
design started from the state wide Jallikkattu protest in January 2017 in the
famous Marina Beach in Chennai which was besieged for 3 full days. The
demand for legislation for the conduct of Jallikkattu was out shadowed by
demands such as separate Tamil Nadu, separate Tamil Ealam etc. This protest
ended with violent Police action after a section of the protestors affiliated to
Left Wing Extremist (LWE) organizations, Muslim Fundamentalists
Organizations and Tamil Secessionists (TS) outfits refused to vacate the protest
venue even after Government legislated a bill to conduct Jallikkattu.

The subsequent months passed off with protests against Hydro carbon
Extraction project at Neduvasal in Pudukkottai District, Demanding closure of
ONGC oil exploration rig at Kathiramangalam, Thanjavur District, Demanding
the reinstatement of a particular ASI official in an on-going excavation at
Keezhadi in Sivagangai District charging the Union Government on imposing
Sanskrit over Tamil in the findings, Opposition to Nutrino Research Laboratory
in Theni District, Unfair treatment meted out by the Union Government in
allocation of relief assistance after floods in 2017 and Okchi cyclone, Formation
of Cauvery Management Board and opposition to Construction of Container
trans-shipment terminal in Kanyakumari District. A report on Left Wing
Extremism (LWE) and Muslim Fundamentalism (MF) organizations involved was
presented to appropriate authorities in the month of September
2017(Annexure III).

It is proved time and again, that the influence of Left Wing Extremist (LWE)
organizations, Muslim Fundamentalists Organizations and Tamil Secessionists
(TS) organizations are prevalent in the genesis, conduct and guidance of all

5 Interim Report on Thoothukudi Riots in Tamil Nadu – Vedic Science Research Centre (www.vsrc.in)
these movements assisted ably by the Churches of all denominations. The
involvement of foreign hand in Protest against the Nuclear Power plant at
Koodankulam in Thirunelveli District was admitted by the then Prime Minister
of India Dr.Manmohan Singh in February 2012 (Annexure IV). Dr.Manmohan
Singh said that the NGOs in Thirunelveli and Thoothukudi District are receiving
funds from Organisations based in the United States of America and
Scandinavian countries. The money was channelled mainly through the church
based NGOs namely Tuticorin Diocese Association and Tuticorin Multipurpose
Social Service Society.

After the devastating Okchi cyclone, the Church organized massive protests
across Kanyakumari District demanding increased compensation for the victims
and condemning the Modi-led Central Government for failing in relief and
rescue operations (Annexure V). The protestors squatted on railway tracks at
Kuzhithurai Railway Station for an entire day in which all opposition MLAs
participated. It is to be noted that 5 out of 6 MLAs in Kanyakumari District are
Christians. It is reliably learnt that Kottar Diocese Association and Kottar Social
Service Society are the NGOs funding this activity. Apart from these
organizations Mr. Jagath Gaspar of Tamil Maiyam is funding these protests. He
conducted one fund raising event for Okchi cyclone victims on the 18 th of
February 2018 at SBIOA school campus Anna Nagar (Annexure VI). It is
pertaining to note that the General Secretary of State Bank Officers
Association, Mr. D.Thomas Franco RajendraDev was in the forefront in
organizing this event. He assisted Mr. Jagath Gaspar in channelling foreign
funds during the Koodankulam agitation too. It can be seen from the CV of Mr.
D. Thomas Franco Rajendra Dev (Annexure VII), that he is associated with the
Left wing student organization Students Federation of India (SFI) in his college
days and that association gives him the fillip to negotiate with Leftist Forces.

Mr. Jagath Gaspar, who funded the Anti- Koodankulam Nuclear Power
Movement and presently funding the Church to instigate Fishermen to resort to
violence over the issue of Okchi cyclone relief and Opposition to Colachel-

6 Interim Report on Thoothukudi Riots in Tamil Nadu – Vedic Science Research Centre (www.vsrc.in)
Enayam-Kanyakumari trans-shipment terminal, is funding the Sterlite agitation
too. Mr. Jagath Gaspar has initiated the formation of WhatsApp groups to
mobilize public opinion and funds in the name of Ban Sterlite Supporters.
Incidentally, all these groups are created through a USA number and Mr.Jagath
Gaspar is an admin in one such group (Annexure VIII).

The infiltration of LWE organisations in the Ban Sterlite movement is recorded

from the tenth day after the commencement of the present agitation in
January 2018. The involvement of Mr. Ari Raghavan, Vanchinathan and
Ramachandran belonging to the LWE organization Makkal Athikaram was
vividly narrated in the Tamil magazine ‘Kumudam Reporter’ dated 4th May
2018. The Magazine further recorded the hurling of petrol bomb on the Sterlite
Plant on 25th April 2018 and recorded the statement of the Police that more
than 100 Naxals have infiltrated in the Movement. According to the article the
Anti Sterlite protestors are now getting exposed to issues such as Hydro
carbon extraction, Nutrino laboratory and so on (Annexure IX).

The Deccan Chronicle dated 3rd April 2018 stated that the villagers of
Kumareddiyapuram objected to removing the bore well pipes and cleaning
them would only help Sterlite, as after cleaning the pipes, the water may look
pure. The villagers are turning so sceptical of the state machinery that even
routine works seem “a conspiracy” to them, thanks to the leaders of the
protests who insist that people not believe government and government
officials (Annexure X).

The process of creating mistrust in the minds of the villagers against the
Government is wide spread as the Left Wing Extremism (LWE) organizations
fanned across all villages around Thoothukkudi. A villager from Milavittan
objected to the rising of Anti India, Anti Modi slogans in a meeting organized to
mobilize people in support of the Ban Sterlite Movement by some out siders.
The villager further states that the members of Makkal Athikaram suggested to
the villagers that they can set on fire the office of the Village administrator

7 Interim Report on Thoothukudi Riots in Tamil Nadu – Vedic Science Research Centre (www.vsrc.in)
Officer as a mark of protest.
In a mobilisation meeting organized in the village of Pandarampatti, under the
banner of Anti Sterlite Thoothukudi District Peoples’ Confederation

(ஸ்டெர்லைட்எதிர்ப்புதூத்துக்குடிமாவட்ெமக்கள்கூட்ெலமப்பு), one lady

activist was inciting the mob to attack the police on 22nd May and besiege the
Collectors’ office. This video was widely circulated in the Internet. (Annexure
XI). Soon after the firing on 22nd May, a Television artiste by the name Nilani
appeared in Police attire, posed herself as a police woman, exhorted that the
Government is doing ethnic cleansing in Thoothukudi akin to what the Sri
Lankan Government has done in Ealam (Annexure XII). This video was widely
circulated by the Pro-Naxal, Muslim Fundamentalist, Church based and
separatist Tamil groups and it created a massive anger against the
Government and again Prime Minister Narendra Modi was painted as a villain.
Subsequently, the police filed a case against this actress who is seen in the
company of Pro Tamil Separatist activists in other agitations such as Go-Back
Modi and Ban IPL in Chennai (Annexure XIII).

Mr. Samarendra Dhas, a person belonging to the Foil Vedanta group from
London visited Thoothukudi and addressed a secret meeting in the month of
February/ March in which the leaders of the Ban Sterlite Movement
participated. Mr. Samartendra Dhas has ensured all possible help to the
protestors and a person from Orissa too participated in the meeting was
published in Deccan Chronicle dated 20th March 2018 (Annexure XIV). It is
believed that Church of England, once an investor in Vedanta is sponsoring the
group ‘Foil Vedanta’ .This evidently shows that this movement is governed by
International Organisations too.

The above mentioned Deccan Chronicle article dated 20th March 2018 further
states that Tamilnadu Vanigar Sangangalin Peramaippu, (Federation of Tamil
Nadu traders’ associations) have stayed clear of it and even welcomed the
company’s proposal to double the capacity of its copper smelting plant to eight
lakh tonnes per annum as it would lead to regional industrial growth, all-round

8 Interim Report on Thoothukudi Riots in Tamil Nadu – Vedic Science Research Centre (www.vsrc.in)
economic development and increased employment opportunities. In the month
of May, the traders of Thoothukudi switched sides and they represented the
Ban Sterlite Movement in peace talks. It is to be noted that out of 64 traders
Union, 34 organizations are led by Christians. It is reliably learnt that the
Church based organizations played a vital role to turn around the Traders
Unions to oppose Sterlite.

Apart from International Christian organizations, all church denominations in

Thoothukkudi and adjoining districts participated in this Ban-Sterlite
movement. This was confessed by an evangelist Mr. Mohan C. Lazrus. Mr.
Mohan C. Lazrus started his career as a humble evangelist and his day to day
expenses were foot in by the local parishioners but he is worth thousands of
crores in a short span of 20 years!. He is a central figure in the hate Modi
campaign and in his huge evangelical meetings attended by thousands of
People, he spew venom against Hinduism in general and BJP/ RSS in particular
and exhorts his followers to pray for the down fall of Modi, Yogi Adithyanath
and BJP. In one such meeting, he declared that churches of all denominations
have taken up this Anti-Sterlite issue (Annexure XX) and it is learnt that Mr.
Mohan C. Lazrus is another funding source as most of his revenue is generated
within the country and it is easy for him to evade the enforcement authorities.

From the above incidents it is amply evident that this Ban Sterlite movement
has got ulterior motive to create anarchy and lawlessness to destabilize the
Nation. In this context it is pertaining to note that the earlier attempts of the
organization Makkal Athikaram to create mammoth riots were foiled by the
police in the nearby Kanyakumari District in December 2017. 6 activists of
Makkal Athikaram namely Kingson, Maruthu Ganesan, Mohammed Anis, Aathi,
Marimuthu and Anbu were arrested from the fishing hamlet of Neerodi for
inciting and planning riots (Annexure XV).

In the same district of Kanyakumari, the Police refused permission to an

opposition sponsored protest in front of the collector’s office against the

9 Interim Report on Thoothukudi Riots in Tamil Nadu – Vedic Science Research Centre (www.vsrc.in)
proposed International Container Trans-shipment Terminal at Kovalam near
Kanyakumari on 19th May 2018. The official communiqué cite that there is a
possibility of people working against the growth of the Nation taking part in it
(Annexure XVI).

It is to be recalled at this juncture that soon after Mr. Udhayakumar, the

organizer of Peoples Movement Against Nuclear Energy, who sphere headed
the Anti-Koodankulam protest was exposed for receiving illegal funds from
overseas by the Republic TV, he admitted that he is working for a separate
Nationhood for Tamil Nadu and his response was greeted with applause by the
Church and separatist groups (Annexure XVII).

In this restive region of South Tamil Nadu, during the commissioning month of
Koodankulam Atomic Power Plant i.e. October 2013, a Sierra-Leone flagged US
based company vessel MV Seaman Guard Ohio was intercepted by Indian
Coast Guard Vessel and escorted to Thoothukkudi port on October 12 th 2013
for illegally entering into Indian waters. A total of 35 sea farers, 12 Indians and
23 Foreigners were arrested with 35 Fire arms, 102 Magazines and 5682
rounds of ammunitions. They were sentenced to 5 Year Rigorous Imprisonment
by the Thoothukudi Sessions Court in January 2016 (Annexure XVIII).

In this back ground, it can be concluded that this agitation is not limited to Ban
Sterlite but is an opportunity for anti-National and secessionist elements to
further their ulterior agenda. From the Jallikkattu agitation, these forces are
relentlessly trying to create a massive riot with huge loss of lives so as to turn
the public ire against the Government and to further their divisive agenda of
Secessionism. The failure of the intelligence agencies, Police and the
administration to read the situation or act on the basis of prevailing ground
situation has led to this mayhem. This incident will be leveraged by all anti-
National forces to further their ulterior agenda to destabilize the Nation.

It is to be learnt from history, that for political compulsion or the other,

10 Interim Report on Thoothukudi Riots in Tamil Nadu – Vedic Science Research Centre (www.vsrc.in)
whenever the Government yielded ground to the arsonists to diffuse the
situation, it has played into the hands of the perpetrators of the crime. The
horrific incident of Ambur were Police men have to abandon the Police station
and to run for their lives in June 2015, the Administration failed to uphold the
rule of Law to appease the minority. It is to be noted that incidents of attack
on Policemen and Government officials disproportionately increased after this
Ambur incident.

The protests organized by these Left Wing Extremist (LWE) organizations,

Muslim Fundamentalists Organizations (MF) and Tamil Secessionists (TS) are
invariably associated with attack on police personnel. In the Jallikkattu protest
and Ban IPL protest, Police men were attacked and these attacks were video
graphed and made viral by these groups to make the perpetrators of these
offences as heroes in the eyes of young people as done by Kashmir extremists
in the valley. The practice of exposing the family details of police/ military
personals involved in operations and inciting people to take revenge on them
has become a regular affair like Kashmir. The photograph of a policeman Raja
Dheleban with his two sons (Annexure XIX) was widely circulated through
social media and the post exhorted people to avenge for the killing of innocent
Tamils.

It is evidently clear that the planning, execution, guidance and support of all
agitations taking place in Tamil Nadu is with ulterior purpose and the intent is
malicious and deliberate. In this regard, the Government has to act firmly
against these anti-Nationals and their cohorts to save India from another
partition.

11 Interim Report on Thoothukudi Riots in Tamil Nadu – Vedic Science Research Centre (www.vsrc.in)